Due to new entry requirements, many international travelers will need to register for an online authorization before touching down in the UK and many EU nations.

Know Before You Go
United Kingdom
Beginning January 8, 2025, visitors from the United States, Canada, Australia and other non-European nations who currently do not need a visa for short stays in the UK, will be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the country, including those just passing through UK airports. It costs £10 to apply. Everyone travelling needs to get an ETA, including babies and children.
The ETA is similar to the U.S. ESTA system and acts as a pre-clearance for travel. This change is part of the UK’s move towards a digital border system.
Beginning April 2, 2025, EU nationals will also be required to obtain an ETA before entering the UK. Citizens of the UK, Ireland, and those with valid UK visas will be exempt.
European Union
– ETIAS
Expected in 2025, the EU will require a new travel authorization for visa-exempt foreigners from 60 nations (including the UK, US, Canada and Australia) before they are allowed to enter 30 EU nations. Similar to the United Kingdom’s ETA, this new program, called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), requires short-term travelers to apply online, pay a small fee of 7 euros, and wait up to 96 hours for applications to be approved. According to the ETIAS website as of February 1, 2025: “ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications are collected at this point. It is due to start 6 months after EES.”
– EES
The EU is set to launch a separate digital monitoring initiative called the Entry/Exit System (EES), which uses face and fingerprint scans instead of passports to identify non-EU nationals. According to the EES website, as of February 1, 2025: Entry/Exit system is currently not in operation. It is due to start in 2025. There is also an EES Frequently Asked Questions page.
The goal of the EES is to modernize border crossings and speed up long immigration lines. The new entry system is also aimed at combatting identity fraud and the number of people overstaying in the EU.
Learn more
- BBC: The big changes coming to UK and European travel in 2025, by Lynn Brown, 12 December 2024
- United Kingdom ETA: Electronic Travel Authorisation
- European Union ETIAS: European Travel Information and Authorisation System
- European Union EES: Entry/Exit System
- US Department of State: Worldwide Travel Alert: New Entry requirements for US citizens traveling or transiting through United Kingdom airports
- US Department of State: U.S. Travelers in Europe